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Victoria Jennifer Johnson (The Ladies' Thread)

For the OP and anyone else with cramps, a piece of advice I received recently, and which I have to say Works For Me.

I was asked by a client to accompany her on a doctor's appointment as she needed to see a gynae specialist for an exam, and her mental health/personal history means that anyone doing anything down there is a bit of an ordeal, so she asked me to go along and hold her hand. It's a bit outside my normal remit, but I'm probably the healthcare worker closest, so I agreed.

After the exam, I was congratulating her on having endured it, and remarked "You're lucky! If I go to the doctor with girlie things they want to stick needles in me!"

The doc asked me why, and I explained that at my age the surgery want to check whether I've started the hormonal changes of menopause. She brushed that off with a comment that the blood tests are highly inaccrate, and asked what I wanted to see a doctor about and I told her that I'm getting GOD AWFUL CRIPPLING CRAMPS. (Yes, I do need to shout that - you understand I'm sure!)

She asked simply if I could take pain-killers (Yeah, right) and I said that paracetemol (tylenol, I think) didn't touch the pain. She asked about ibruprofen. No, I hadn't tried that. Paracetemol is a muscle relaxant so I'd stuck with it.

She told me to switch to ibruprofen, in a high dose. She actually suggested a dose rather higher than the maximum on the packet - 400 mg (2 tablets) 4 times a day. And she said to start it 2 days before my period. Apparently, she claimed, it inhibits the hormone that causes the cramps.

Maybe it's just psychosomatic, but I tried it, and have just had my first pain-free period in two and a half years. And I stuck to the stated dose on the packet, just in case. So I thought I'd tell the story and pass the bit of advice along! If it helps anyone else, pass it on!
 
^Many women should absolutely consider switching to NSAID pain relievers (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug---ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, etc.) in conjunction with or instead of paracetamol/Tylenol for menstrual cramps. Tylenol is worthless by itself and is far harsher on the liver, and it is NOT a muscle relaxant. People also tend to take more of it. However, many clinical studies have showed that combining one of the NSAIDs with paracetamol offered narcotic-level pain relief in mild to moderate pain patients, says my doctor, and the female friends I've double-checked with have agreed with this assessment so far. But, do not mix the NSAID's together and don't do this if you are an alcoholic or have liver problems. Try 2 ibuprofen/Aleve/aspirin and 2 Tylenol when the pain hits (and ibuprofen before your period) and you should be good to go.
 
^Fortunately my mother taught me early on that Tylenol is useless for cramps, and to always go for the Advil/Ibuprofen. That's the thing that's making me anxious about these cramps, actually. My periods have always been exactly the same, severe cramping on the first day, that was nevertheless relieved by downing three Advil, and after that, no pain. Now, the Advil's barely touching the pain. The cramps are waking me up several times every night, and have been every day.

I will try taking it a few days before I start, though -- I'd never heard of doing that before.
 
Just found this, which supports the claim that nsaids actually inhibit the prostoglandins causing the problem.
 
thestrangequark said:
^Fortunately my mother taught me early on that Tylenol is useless for cramps, and to always go for the Advil/Ibuprofen. That's the thing that's making me anxious about these cramps, actually. My periods have always been exactly the same, severe cramping on the first day, that was nevertheless relieved by downing three Advil, and after that, no pain. Now, the Advil's barely touching the pain. The cramps are waking me up several times every night, and have been every day.

I will try taking it a few days before I start, though -- I'd never heard of doing that before.
Click to expand...

Have you switched birth control at all lately? Are you on any oral BC? You might need to change up your painkilling regimen either way. Prostaglandins can adapt to resist some of the inhibition of OTC painkillers like ibuprofen especially if you have a routine with them over a long period of time. Have you tried taking Aleve/naproxen instead? I find this to be a better painkiller overall anyway and my pharm friend swears by it for her periods.
 
My problem wasn't cramps (I have none, and bleed for less than 48 hours) but PMS-induced migraines with a fever, to the point where I couldn't get out of bed for a day or two. I would take ibuprofen and paracetemol, often above the recommended doses, and they'd do jack shit. I'm too old and overweight (the nurse's actual words! Truth hurts ;)) for the pill that would stop my periods and keep my hormones level so I'm trying the homeopathic method and am taking St. John's Wort and vitamin B6. I've also drastically cut down on my caffiene intake, and it's helped tremendously. I'm still headachy and moody for a few days before my period, but at least I can get out of bed and function normally.

I also tried evening primrose oil some years ago. It worsened my mood swings and did nothing for my headaches and fever. Other women I know swear by it, though, so it may always be worth trying.
 
^I'm so sick of the pill, honestly. A man-pill REALLY needs to be invented, because it's highly unfair to put all the responsibility on the woman, especially when health issues my make the pill a bad option, like in my case. In the past I've always felt bad for my partners, because I insist on them wearing a condom instead of me taking the pill.
 
^I've never been on the pill, either. Everyone on my father's side of the family had heart disease, so I wasn't keen on starting.

Most of my problems with my period (and there have been some HORRIFIC problems) were due to my thyroid problems. Once I got that sorted out, things got a lot better. Cramps were much less, headaches only popped up the day before my period, etc.

However, my schedule is now completely off, so I don't always know when it will start or how long it will last.

Wee.
 
^I've never been on the pill, either, mostly because I'd never remember to take the damned thing, but also because my hormones are so erratic that I didn't like the thought of taking even more of them. It was condoms until I became pregnant the first time and I had an IUD between and after my kids until my husband had a vasectomy. I told him that I'd carried and pushed out the kids so he could be the one who got snipped, and he did. Because he knows what's good for him. ;)
 
thestrangequark said:
^I'm so sick of the pill, honestly. A man-pill REALLY needs to be invented, because it's highly unfair to put all the responsibility on the woman, especially when health issues my make the pill a bad option, like in my case. In the past I've always felt bad for my partners, because I insist on them wearing a condom instead of me taking the pill.
Click to expand...
Okay, now I'm invading the thread as well.

Don't feel sorry for them. If you're at that point, he's getting some, so he sure as hell can take a few seconds and put on a condom.
 
thestrangequark said:
^I'm so sick of the pill, honestly. A man-pill REALLY needs to be invented, because it's highly unfair to put all the responsibility on the woman, especially when health issues my make the pill a bad option, like in my case. In the past I've always felt bad for my partners, because I insist on them wearing a condom instead of me taking the pill.
Click to expand...

I'm not a woman and I don't have sex with them, and I am really tired of the pill, too. Fuck the hormones, the 10,241 types of increased cancer risk and rising, the weight gain, the blood clots and stroke. So many people are getting really fucked up now because bigtime pharmaceutical companies absolutely RAMMED the high-dose combination pills (e.g. Yaz) through the FDA without proper clinical testing, which is why now various regions of the US air those ambulance-chasing commercials against them.

Two of my friends recently had copper IUDs installed, and despite the first few months of weird/different cramping, they swear by it over the pill since it's so much safer, more effective, and low-maintanence.
 
Nerys Ghemor said:
trampledamage said:
Does anyone else get a mid-cycle burst of PMS? I do - luckily the Midol works there too. I'm just wondering if it's common or if I should blame my sister for psychically screwing with my cycle :evil:
Click to expand...

It's not exactly PMS, but I've been known to get all wound up emotionally and not sleep well around the middle of my cycle.

Then again, 30 days is a SHORT cycle, for me, so I think everything in me is exaggerated a bit.

And yes, someone else's hormones can affect your cycles. I know my cycles were shorter and a bit more regulated when I worked in a job where I was around the same women every day. Left to my own devices, it goes back to its normal 30-35 days.
Click to expand...

Oh a womens thread

Geez a place you can talk about periods and other areas of the things we women go through

http://www.menstruation.com.au/

I thought l would put this link in about certain things women go thorugh.

I have to agree when women get there periods it can be a terrible time.
The cramps can be bad and it is great we have different pain killer to help when it gets very uncomfortable.
We get mood swings during this time before and during the period.
 
The only make up I wear is mascara and a bit of liquid eyeliner (I have the little wings at the corners of my eyes, but not huge and ugly like Amy Winehouse) but I wanted to share for the other ladies who wear mascara that they MUST purchase The Falsies by Maybelline.


YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. This is the best mascara ever and it really does make your lashes so long that they look like falsies.
 
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